Animal Idioms

Idiom 이라는 단어를 사전에서 찾으면 관용어, 숙어라는 의미로 나온다.

실제 Idioms는 다양한 의미를 기지고 있어서, 사전에서는 정확한 의미나 느낌을 찾기 어려울 수 있다.

영어에서 약 25,000개 가량의 이디엄들이 있다고 하니, 풍부한 영어표현을 위해서 알아두면 유용하겠다.

그 중에서도 동물에 관한 것들을 알아보자.

★Cat got your tongue. 

=> If someone asks if a cat has got your tongue, they want to know why you are not speaking when they think you should be.

    내 생각에는 "꿀 먹은 벙어리" 같은 느낌이다.

★Wolf in sheep's clothing

=> Someone/something dangerous that looks quite safe.

ex) Steve seemed so nice when I first met him, but he was really a wolf in sheep's clothing.

★Ugly ducking

=> An ugly child that grows to become beautiful.

★No spring chicken

=> Someone who is not young.

ex) My grandmother had to move to a new apartment. It has become too difficult for her to climb the stairs. Because she's no spring chicken.

★Night owl [aul]

=> Someone who goes to bed very late.

ex) When I was in university, I used to study until the sun came up. I was a real night owl.

★Big fish

=> An important person in a company.

ex) I have to wear a suit tomorrow. The big fish is coming to my office and I want to make a good impression.

★Butterflies in your stomach

=> A feeling of nervousness before something important.

ex) My father told me he had butterflies in his stomach when he proposed to my mother.

★Crocodile tears

=> Tears of someone pretending to be upset.

★Cry wolf

=> Raising a false alarm.

★Eager beaver

=> A person who is extremely keen.

ex) Our new employee is a real eager beaver. Anything I ask her to do she jumps at the chance.

★Guinea [^|gɪni] pig

=> A person who is used as a subject for experimentation.

★Like a fish out of water

=> A person away from their usual environment.

★Birds and the bees

=> A neutral term for sex education

ex) My son is growing up so quickly. I think it's time I talked with him about birds and the bees before he learns it from his friends.